The species composition, diet, feeding tactics, and spatial occupation of fishes in a headwater stream which flows within a remaining fragment of Araucaria Forest were studied. One hundred and ten fishes of six species were collected, members of three orders and four families. In riffle areas, only Trichomycterus castroi Pinna, 1992 and Trichomycterus davisi Haseman, 1911 were found, while Astyanax aff. scabripinnis (sensu Eigenmann, 1921), Astyanax totae Haluch & Abilhoa, 2005, T. castroi, T. davisi, Phalloceros caudimaculatus (Hensel, 1868) and Jenynsia eigenmanni Haseman, 1911 were all found in pools. Diet included 18 autochthonous items, six allochthonous , and three of uncertain-origin; the frequency of occurrence of all items were calculated. While many exclusive alimentary items were registered, "insects" (insect parts, aquatic immature insects) was considered the most important item, which allows inference on feeding overlap. Fish species were classified into four trophic guilds and four functional groups. These fishes are capable of using a variety of food resources and microhabitats, which is likely favored by their small size. The studied forest fragment is apparently important to the entire aquatic biota, by providing food, microhabitat, and shelter.
Ecology; feeding; spatial occupation; stream fishes
